


A Deal In Sin

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Series: hell is easily confused (when compared to heaven) [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bottom Eren Yeager, Canon-Typical Violence, Dark Magic, Demon Deals, Demon Summoning, Demons, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eren is a witch, Eren is having some trouble dealing with that, Erwin is a demon, Erwin is stupidly gorgeous, Familiars, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Moving Tattoo(s), POV Eren Yeager, Panic Attacks, Protective Erwin, Rituals, Slow Burn, Tattooed Erwin, Witchcraft, attempts at humor, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-22 00:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3708567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Demons were more often than not androgynous in appearance, but this one, this one was clearly male, or at least in face. Everything from the prominent eyebrows, to the hard, unforgiving eyes, to the slope of its nose, to the swell of its mouth, screamed male and Eren found himself tracing the tattoos trailing up the right side of the demon’s jaw to meet a pair of glacier eyes, unmasked by the blonde hair parted and slicked back perfectly to show off its face.</p><p>  <em>Holy fuck.</em></p><p>“Not dying then?” it inquired, raising a thick eyebrow as it observed his steady breathing--though it had picked up a bit.</p><p>“N-no,” he choked out, forcing himself up on shaking legs. “I'm not dying.” <em>Not yet.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Bargain

**Author's Note:**

> ahahaha what my browser history must look like right now...
> 
> I researched a lot of stuff from different demonic languages to rituals and what kind of herbs would be best for said rituals. The language used in this is also based off a key that I found, so if anyone is curious I can try to answer any questions about that to the best of my ability. With that said, if anybody wants to know more about anything in this verse, please feel free to ask! I'll be more than happy to discuss anything you want to know more about! With that said, I'd really appreciate it if you'd drop a comment once you're done :)

The smoke had been a bad idea from the start. In his small apartment, with the squeaky windows that were lucky to air out the three rooms that made up his home on a good day, the cloying mix of coal, herbs, candle wax and blood was almost suffocating against Eren’s senses. Thin wisps of smoke rose into the air, beginning to collect near the ceiling in a haunting cloud of rolling gray, making Eren worry over whether or not the fire alarms would go off. He’d long since turned his off, but his was not the only alarm throughout the building. The accumulation of it all only made matters more urgent. He had to be done with this, and quickly.

Raising the book in his left hand, the other still raw and damp with blood holding a handful of grains of paradise, Eren raised his voice to chant. “N’ma Lglj Tlmvlg, smbb pwej rl’re bpgci nj’hrl ir’mdes, rl’re elle’mbb, n’smbb pwej blwn.” The words fell in guttural, halting noises that scraped his throat on the way out and made the little hairs at the back of his neck stand up. The flames of the candles lining the circle of salt, black pepper and fennel seed just in front of him flickered crimson and blue with each syllable, flaring higher with chilling shivers before falling flat once more. The seeds in his hands warmed, soaking in the drying blood of his hand before with a happy sizzle they fell into the hot coals to his right, just as he uttered the second to last word. Everything was perfect, everything was going as planned, until the gust of smoke that the seeds had provoked drifted up into his lungs without an apology and choked the name of the demon he was summoning from his lungs.

Bent over, and heaving for breath that refused to come, Eren did not have time to fear what his blunder had caused, the heavy tome of spells in his hand falling to the floor with a dull thud as he pressed a hand to his chest and another to his mouth. He did not have time to attempt to cease the summoning; could not do any more than gasp for breath as the candles rose into tall, thin, columns of flame, shot through with blue fire that burned a cold chill into the room. Smoke poured from the center of his circle, hitting the edges of his salt and herb mixture before rising up in a plume as if there was a dome instead of empty air. It rose up above his head, stretching up to the sky before with a series of low sounds that made Eren’s ears ring and his body quiver, it receded into itself with a rush like that of a hurricane, sending a wave of wind out from the circle that stung his eyes and brought tears streaming down the witch’s cheeks. It also, thankfully, got rid of the smoke and incense he’d been gagging on, doing away with all scent and leaving his apartment more aired out than it had probably been in years.

It was silent after the smoke and wind, silent in the alien way it got when there was a dangerous predator nearby and the entire world held its breath waiting for it to pass on. If it weren’t for his need to catch his breath after his near-death experience, Eren would have looked up to see the source of that quiet. As it was, he remained half crouched, breathing easing from the desperate coughing he’d fall victim to mere moments before to become panting breaths, desperately hoping that he hadn’t made some awful mistake that would turn what he’d just experienced into a picnic.

“Oh my,” a voice murmured in front of him, cultured and smooth. “Do you appear to be dying?”

 _I don’t know,_ Eren wanted to say. _Am I?_ He glanced up, slowly lifting his eyes from the dirty floor to take in just what, or rather, _who_ he had summoned. The first thing he saw was a cloak stained with what looked like ice, a dusting of winter climbing up in dancing swirls of blue and white as if the owner had just waded through a drift of snow. The color molded into ashy gray and bleeding black, fading out the higher his eyes went. It encased most of the demon _(he assumed that was what he had summoned. The name may have been wrong but the chant had been right after all)_ , masking the true shape of its body in a rather shapeless blanket of night. Of the little skin uncovered, were clawed hands, the tips of its fingers stained a inky black with wicked curving nails that were probably as sharp as daggers. They were large, broad hands, ones that could probably cover Eren’s entire face if they wanted to, the sleeves of the cloak gliding down over slender wrists to just brush the beginnings of the demon’s knuckles. A pair of collar bones were next, the barest slip of a chest in view before Eren’s sight was cut off once again by that black cloak. What looked like a tattoo of sorts climbed up over the left one, marking the side of a long neck and licking behind a pointed ear, the lobe speared with what looked to be a pointed shard of glass. Above the demon’s collar bones, was a sturdy jaw, the angles harsh and firm. Demons were more often than not androgynous in appearance, but this one, this one was clearly male, or at least in face. Everything from the prominent eyebrows, to the hard, unforgiving eyes, to the slope of its nose, to the swell of its mouth, _screamed_ male and Eren found himself tracing the tattoos trailing up the right side of the demon’s jaw to meet a pair of glacier eyes, unmasked by the blonde hair parted and slicked back perfectly to show off its face.

_Holy fuck._

“Not dying then?” it inquired, raising a thick eyebrow as it observed his steady breathing--though it had picked up a bit.

“N-no,” he choked out, forcing himself up on shaking legs. He swallowed around the ache of his throat, his vocal chords feeling stretched out and raw after the long sentences of demon language. “I'm not dying.” _Not yet._

“How fortunate,” the demon murmured, eyes boring into his skull. “I don’t suppose you have a reason for me being here?”

Under that gaze it took Eren a few long moments to answer, body quivering with the effort to stand strong. “That all depends on what you can offer,” he started carefully.

This, seemed to surprise it. “Don’t you know? It was you who called to me after all.”

Eren grimaced. “See, I get why you would think that, but you see… I said your name by mistake.”

“Mistake.” It echoed.

 _God, it sounded so much worse when someone else said it_. “Yeah.” He nodded, eyes darting around the room uneasily. With a jolt, he realized that the candles were still blazing. The wax had long since melted down into puddles and yet the flames kept burning in tall blue columns. What was even more chilling was that they didn’t seem to be giving off any heat, it was if they were dancing pillars of ice. “What is your name anyways?”

“In my language? Lg’nj. In yours?” It smiled, a flash of teeth like razors sending a chill down his spine. “Er’in. You however, may call me Erwin.”

“The w’s silent,” he murmured, biting his bottom lip.

“It certainly throws a wrench into the translating process doesn't it?” The demon nodded, folding its hands in front of itself. “Now then, what did you seek to accomplish when you called on me?”

Eren frowned, staring down at the circle carved into his floor. What _had_ he sought to accomplish? What had chased him from his home, left him broken and scared and lost in a city that was too loud, too dirty, too full of scum? What had driven him to this place, this apartment, so unlike his house in the forest back home, without any friends or family around him, and with a powerful demon before him? What had driven him to take the risk involved with a summoning? What had been so bad that he needed more power than he already had? Eren’s eyes sharpened into a glare. “Revenge,” he answered, the word more of a growl. “I need someone to help me with revenge.”

Erwin tilted its head to the side, a spark of something in its eyes as it looked at him, a witch with the spirit of fire and the power to call forth a demon as high ranking as himself. “Oh?” He murmured. “And what are you willing to pay in return for this so called ‘revenge’?”

It was Eren’s turn to smile then, large and dangerous and bloodthirsty. “Anything within my power to give.”

“Smart,” Erwin acknowledged. The demon stared at him after that, long and hard and without a blink. He didn't know what it was looking for, if it was searching for some sign of worth, something that would make a bargain worthwhile, but Eren held the stare the entire time. It seemed to be ages before with a sigh like the sound of beating wings, it nodded. “Very well, Eren Jeager, in return for a price within your power, I will help you with your revenge. Shall we bargain?”

Eren nodded in return. “Let’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tidbits:  
> -“N’ma Lglj Tlmvlg, smbb pwej rl’re bpgci nj’hrl ir’mdes, rl’re elle’mbb, n’smbb pwej" loosely translates into "I, Eren Jeager, call upon he who lurks in the shadows, he who sees all, I call upon..."  
> -Black pepper mixed with salt is meant to dispel any negative or evil spirits/vibrations.  
> -Grains of paradise are said to bring into your life whatever you desire. People say that if you hold a few grains in your hand, make your wish, and then throw a few of them in each direction, starting at the north and ending in the west, your wish will come true. I sort of simplified this and Eren uses it as more of an added measure than a necessity.  
> -the coals are there to burn the herbs and for him to drizzle his blood on in offering (that's also why Eren's hand was injured)  
> -Eren originally wanted to call on Levi which would have been a bad idea because yeah, he'd probably have definitely died then if not via a coughing fit but shhhhh don't tell him that yet  
> -the 'w' is silent in the key I used so I sort of had to improvise. This is why Erwin's name is Lg'nj meaning Er'in if translated directly  
> -the freaky blue fire from the candles is part of Erwin's powers which will be explained later  
> -Erwin is male, Eren just refers to him as 'it' right now because you never know with demons
> 
> I'm planning on adding to this when inspiration strikes as I am rather intrigued by the possibilities of this fic. I'm uncertain as to whether it will be multi chaptered or a series of one-shots but I made a series just in case.


	2. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demons were cruel, manipulating, evil creatures, a manifestation of all that was bad about humanity. Good looks meant nothing about a person’s soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know if any of you are fans of Black Butler but I found myself comparing Erwin to Sebastian an awful lot throughout this chapter...

_“It’s been quite some time since I’ve walked free among the human world,” Erwin had admitted, a furrow in between his eyebrows. “You'll have to forgive me if my knowledge is a bit outdated.”_

Looking back on that, Eren had to wonder if he was in actuality joking because the man--yes, he had finally had his theories confirmed that the demon was, indeed, male--walking beside him was far from outdated. Unique? Yes. Gorgeous? Oh, definitely. But outdated? Eren wanted to laugh just thinking about it. He’d been prepared for a variety of things, one of those being having to coach whatever demon he summoned on proper etiquette and dress. He hadn’t, however, expected Erwin to step out of the summoning circle looking like a rather expensive male model.

As soon as the deal had been sealed, his palm burning from where they’d shook, the cloak around the demon had curled into itself, pulling and tightening in around the demon’s body. As if coming out of a cloud of mist, a pair of sturdy black boots had encased his feet, a pair of dark washed jean tucked into the tops and slightly rumpled around the knee. Next had been a pair of black gloves, covering the curved claws at the tips of his fingers--Eren figured they could get away with that, it was entering fall anyways, and the city always got a little chilly. The coat however… The witch had been able to do little else but stare as Erwin’s cloak of shadows and ice had transformed itself into a double breasted trench coat the likes of which he’d never seen. Did they even _make_ coats that looked like they were dipped in snow?

The demon had looked at him expectantly afterwards, as if all of this was perfectly normal and clothes appearing out of nothing was little more than a magic trick--the sort humans tried to pull off. At the questioning lift of an eyebrow Eren had been forced to choke out a reassurance that _no, he hadn’t done anything wrong but could he just wait a second while Eren went to bandage his hand?_

There had been laughter in his eyes when he had nodded, allowing the witch to go bang his head against the bathroom wall in frustration. Demons were beautiful, he’d known that from the start. Or, at least, the higher class ones were. It was all part of their genetic make-up as predators. Those that were beautiful, that were magnetizing and drew others in like moths to a flame, would have a much better chance at survival after all. He'd known this from the start, had thought himself ready... Eren shook his head. There was nothing wrong with looking, he reasoned. So long as he remembered that the most beautiful things were the most dangerous--for Erwin was _very_ dangerous--he could look all he wanted. With that in mind he had nodded at his reflection, resolve firm once more before with a determined set in his shoulders, he had pushed his way out of his bathroom to go face the demon in his living room. That determination, of course, had melted into embarrassment when Erwin had flashed him a look of confusion, inquiring as to just why his hand was still untreated when that was what he had gone off to do in the first place.

“I think that dressing in a show girl’s costume would have drawn less attention than this,” Eren muttered after the twentieth person had done a double take at Erwin’s appearance.

“I could call the cloak back,” the blonde offered, looking unhelpfully gorgeous.

“No I think that’d just make them call the cops.” Eren shook his head. “That, or you’ll have dozens of girls entertaining fantasies about the bad boy in the freaky shadow coat.”

Eren was pretty sure the soft chuckle paired with the small smile he received in answer to that jab was the fault of the girl across the street tripping over her own feet. “Is it really that bad?”

“It’s different,” the witch shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “People don’t always like different.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” The demon asked. “Or are you one of those people yourself?”

Eren snorted. “I’m a witch, Erwin. I talk to animals, summon demons and tie my shoes without lifting a finger. If I didn’t like different things I’d be screwed.”

“You make a valid point,” Erwin smiled; the witch wasn’t fooled. There was something about the demon’s eyes that told him that all the smiles and laughter had a hidden purpose. The softness of his mouth never quite touched those frigid eyes, the blue of his iris’ a frozen wasteland that the witch could freeze to death in if he tried too hard to get close. It was all a ploy, an intricate part that he had set into place the moment Eren had choked on the name of the demon he’d been trying to summon and had gotten Erwin in its place. He could trust nothing that came out of Erwin’s mouth, not if he wanted to keep his sanity. Demons were cruel, manipulating, evil creatures, a manifestation of all that was bad about humanity. Good looks meant nothing about a person’s soul.

Eren turned away with a frown, grunting a reply. Ignoring whatever other response the demon might have had, he clutched the messenger bag hanging at his hip closer to his side, ducking around a passing stranger that couldn’t seem to find it in himself to move the few inches to the side it would take to not cut in between the small space between the witch and demon. Eren half expected Erwin to be gone when he swerved back into his original spot--demons were never particularly loyal after all, at least, not to humans--but he was there, looking the same as when they’d parted.

“Tell me, Eren,” Erwin murmured quietly as they took the stairs down into the subway. “Why are we leaving so soon? Is there a timeline I should know about?”

“There’s no timeline,” Eren answered, head swiveling to glance behind them when the skin at the back of his neck prickled; nothing but the bustle of the city answered him. Quickening his pace, the witch made his way to the entrance gate. He touched a finger sparking with a bit of green magic to the top before pushing his way through with little resistance. “We might, however, be being followed.”

“Ah, that it explains it then.” was his answer.

Eren frowned suspiciously, coming to a stop at the platform they were to wait for their train at. “What does?”

“There have been several malevolent auras circling the city for some time,” Erwin explained, looking far too relaxed for such a bearer of bad news. “I erected a shield around your own as soon as I felt them, though it is nice to know my caution wasn’t unnecessary.”

“What kind of malevolent auras?” Eren questioned urgently, stepping closer to fist a hand in the demon’s jacket in his urgency.

Erwin barely blinked. “Two witches, one werewolf.”

“Shit,” he breathed, releasing the fabric in his hand numbly. _If they’re here, then that means…_ His head shot up. “Just how powerful are you?”

“Pardon?”

“Power!” Eren barked, the low whistle of a train filling his ears. It sounded so much like a scream. “How much do you have? What’s your ranking?”

“Enough to tell you that you don’t need to be afraid,” Erwin answered, reaching a hand out to touch the witch’s cheek. There was a sudden gentleness in the way he did it, as if afraid even the lightest touches would shatter him; it was so surprising that Eren could do little more than obey his soft reminder to “Breathe, Eren.”

With the breath came a deep sense of calm that made the world around him go fuzzy, the harsh lines of his surroundings fading out until all he could focus on was Erwin’s eyes and the frozen wasteland awaiting him there. By the time he was blinking past it, Eren found himself already on the train, pushed into a seat and leaning against the demon’s shoulder.

“You’re awake,” Erwin stated, turning his head to glance down at the witch.

It took Eren moments to comprehend what had just happened, and even less for all the blood to rush to his face as he shot upright. “You compelled me!” He accused, touching a hand to his cheek.

“My apologies but you looked as if you were about to have a panic attack. Due to your previous urgency I assumed that you would rather avoid that until a more suitable time.” The way he explained, as if it was simple, as simple as two plus two, was so infuriating Eren wanted to hit him. Even more so was the way he looked as if he expected the witch to understand this, to nod and go along with his logic.

Eren’s jaw clenched. “Don’t do it again.”

Something flat flashed across Erwin’s face. “Understood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided that for the most part this is going to be a multi chaptered fic with a few side one-shots for the scenes that don't get fit in. I'm unsure about what the posting schedule will be since I go back to school next week, so please try to be patient with me. I'll do my best to get chapters out as soon as possible. :)
> 
> I also upped the rating to M for now since there's going to be violence and knowing me, smut. I'm not sure if I'll up it all the way to E yet but we'll see. Does anyone have any preferences??


	3. The Ride Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d had enough betrayals and lies lately to last a life time. He didn’t need more now, especially not from the one person he needed to be able to depend on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapters in one week, I'm shocking myself  
> Please don't expect this in the future ;;
> 
> I can't thank you all enough for your lovely comments. Honestly, they're more than half the reason I've written so much so fast. Without you guys I wouldn't be nearly as inspired :)

The ride out of the city was a long one. While living on the outskirts would have been preferable when taking into account the need for a fast exit, Eren had forced himself to plunge deep into the city where any attempts to track him down would be detected long before any pursuers could actually show up. It had been a difficult decision, one he’d struggled with upon stumbling onto a train heading into the very city he was leaving now, dirty and shaken with blood staining his clothes. He’d been terrified and confused and it had taken long moments of forced deep breathing to finally calm down enough to think clearly around the haze of panic that had woven itself like a cloak around him. In full flight mode, his very being had screamed for a place that could be escaped quickly. He’d had visions of being cornered in the middle of the city, the maze of streets turned against him until he was nothing more than a cornered animal; visions that had nearly caused him to fall back into a panic. In the end though, the decision had been an easy one. After all, he had been going to summon a demon. Even if he was hunted down, Eren had thought he’d have plenty of power backing him up to get away. Now however, with a demon he hadn’t planned on summoning and whom seemed not to want to tell him of his capacity, he was beginning to doubt that fact. What did Erwin have to hide? Either he was truly weak--which Eren _severely_ doubted. The man had compelled him after all! Not to mention that fire show when they’d first met--or he had some hidden motive behind hiding his abilities.

The witch didn’t like it. He’d had enough betrayals and lies lately to last a life time. He didn’t need more now, especially not from the one person he needed to be able to depend on.

“Eren,” Erwin murmured from his side. “We’re at our stop.”

Blinking free from the daze of his thoughts, Eren shook his head, glancing around at the darkened bus. It had taken three trains and two buses to get to this point, a series of rides that had taken almost eight hours. They could have teleported of course--even though Eren’s magic was drained from summoning and bargaining with a demon, Erwin still had plenty left. However, since they were apparently still being pursued, that wasn’t an option. Large bursts of magic were easily detected, and usually left behind traces of the user. He couldn’t risk a tracker coming along and reading where they were going. Human transportation was much safer.

“Can you sense anyone nearby?” Eren muttered, eyes alert as they made their way down the aisle and off the bus. He threw a smile at the kind busdriver on his way out, wishing her a good night. He was vaguely aware of Erwin doing the same as he strode towards the lone and rather deserted gas station in front of them.

“The auras have slipped away for the time being and I haven’t felt any sweeps of magic in quite some time.” Erwin reported, long legs catching up with Eren easily. “Is there a reason we’re in the middle of no where?”

“I told you--we’re meeting up with a friend of mine. First though, we need to get a few things from my place.”

“The place you told me you ran from?”

Eren grimaced. “Exactly.”

“You want to go alone?” Erwin flashed him a skeptical look; Eren proceeded to ignore it. “If you’re running from a group of supernatural creatures I would think the wisest thing to do is build your own numbers.”

“I’m not going alone, silly.” Eren exclaimed as cheerfully as he could manage, giving a winning smile as they walked down the side of the run down building, pushing into the poorly lit bathroom at the end. “I’ll have you remember?”

The demon followed him in, grimacing at the exceptionally dirty space and ducking to avoid a series of cobwebs that may or may not have contained a few dead spiders. Ignoring whatever Erwin might have done in response, Eren stalked forward, stopping at the stall door closest to the wall. Once there he ran his fingers along the space in front of it, closing his eyes to mutter a series of words that made the air around him shimmer and waver, as if belonging to a mirage. He gave a smile of victory when his fingers caught on something, eyes shooting open in victory as he gave a gentle tug. To anyone watching it would have seemed as if he was merely grasping air, that is, until that very same tug sent a rippling shiver out over the door, turning the faded blue into a gleaming vortex of vibrant colors.

“You hid a portal in a rundown bathroom?”

“Where else was I supposed to put it? The sink?” Eren snorted, fighting the tug of a pout. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re a little short on options around here and I wasn’t about to put it in the actual store. Minus this the only thing around here are trees and those always look so identical.”

“I wasn't criticizing you, Eren.” Erwin assured him, with what the witch doubted was actual warmth. He stepped forward, placing a hand on the smaller male’s shoulder. “Shall I go first or would you rather go?”

Eren frowned, side eyeing the hand for a long moment before glancing up at the open portal. For someone who seemed to wear a dusting of ice, he sure was warm. “You can go first. I’ve got to make sure this seals back up once we’re through.”

Erwin nodded. “Very well.” A small smile played along his mouth as he stepped past Eren to move closer. “I shall see you on the other side then, hmm?”

“I’ve got no where else to be.” The witch muttered, raising his hands once more to contain the ripple of magic the portal would give off as soon as Erwin went through. “And Erwin? Keep your guard up. I don’t know what’ll be waiting for us there so… Just be prepared.”

Blue eyes looked him over once, an unreadable look in their frozen depths before with a nod he stepped through. The ripple of disturbance was contained easily enough, though the the series of shields and containment spells he had to put in place before going through himself was enough to remind Eren of his lowered reserves. He’d slept on the ride, leaning reluctantly against Erwin’s shoulder only when all else had failed--and he had eaten once a few hours ago, after the bus had taken a stop near a fast food joint--but he was still drained. It worried him. Even powerful demons could be overpowered and taken down and if Erwin was sent back to his own realm Eren wouldn’t have the time nor energy to call him back mid fight. It was a risk, going back so soon, but he knew that the chances of his home being empty only got slimmer the longer he waited. There was no time to waste on recovery; not when there were clues just sitting there, waiting to be hidden away. He had to take this gamble, even if it meant they’d be facing down the trio hunting him.

Eren took a breath and stepped through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit's going down next chapter  
> ...or is it?


	4. A Place Unlike Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's left comments and kudos so far~ You all make me want to write :)

Stepping out onto a bed of leaves, the scene he walked into was rather anticlimactic at best. There was no fire, no dark shadows waiting to take him out from behind, no enemy in sight; there was merely Erwin in his stupid attractive coat with his stupid attractive face. His stupid attractive face which was moving back and forth, scanning the forest surrounding them. If he were a cat Eren would have bet that his ears would be swiveling with it, perked and alert.

Turning to glance back at--ironically--the tree they had come out of, Eren probed the air around the trunk for any traces of magic. If they weren’t alone it would be a mute point. He would be glad for it however, if they were and someone came along searching for traces of trespassers. .

“I sense no signs of magic other than our own,” Erwin finally said from behind, ceasing the slow back and forth rotations. He looked unreasonably calm for someone who could have just walked into an ambush and for Eren, who was barely managing to keep his pulse below a frantic drum, he was all too envious. Of course, it helped that if Erwin was killed he’d simply return to his own realm, while if Eren was killed he was done.

_Fucking demons._

Dropping his hands from the tree to give a quick sweep of his own, Eren nodded. “Keep your guard up, though.” he advised, striding forward to the lead the way. “They’re powerful.”

“You insult me if you think I would do any less,” was Erwin’s wry reply.

 _Good thing I don’t care then,_ Eren thought spitefully, still wary of the cold yet friendly demon.

They walked in silence for a long time, the brush of fabric rubbing against fabric and the soft crackle of leaves underfoot the only sign that Erwin was even still there; all sounds done purposefully, the witch was sure. He frowned. If his friends could see him now, they’d call him a fool. No one turned their back to a demon, or at least, no one who didn’t first have a pact with one. He had a feeling they would call him a fool still.

Eren sighed, coming to a stop at the start of his inner wards. He probed the air around the shield, making a face when a piercing green ripple went out over the surface. Letting his hands fall to his side once more, Eren silently wondered what he had ever done to the universe. “We’re going to have to hold hands.”

He could _feel_ Erwin’s eyebrows raising.

“The inner wards are made to register familiar signatures. Normally I would add a new signature if necessary but that would take too much time. I can walk in just fine,” Eren continued-- _or at least, he hoped so anyways. Who knew what they’d done to his wards?_ \--“but you can’t. So, hand holding is our option. Unless of course,” he added, mouth quirking up into a smirk. “you’d prefer piggyback riding.”

“I have a feeling I’d be too heavy for you,” Erwin countered, amusement showing through in the flash of his eyes.

Eren gave a mock scoff. “Who ever said I’d be the one carrying you? Oh no, if anyone’s getting carried it’s going to be me, Rogers.”

“Rogers?”

Now that he thought about, Erwin did look awfully similar to Steve Rogers. _If Steve Rogers was a tattooed demon with killer fashion sense._ “Nevermind,” he dismissed, fighting back a grin. “Now then,” he held out a hand, wiggling his fingers enticingly. “let’s get this over with.”

“Very well,” Erwin agreed, still looking rather quizzical as he slipped his hand into the other male’s. It was warmer than Eren was expecting, the leather of his gloves doing little to mask the warmth seeping into Eren’s own palm, his hand dwarfed by the demon’s. He wasn’t sure if he liked the feeling.

“Alright,” the witch breathed, turning to stare into the forest once more, the familiar thrum of his own magic calling him home. They stepped forward.

* * *

Eren’s house was rather small compared to others. With only a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and a study taking the entire upper floor, it sat in between two large ash trees, their trunks gnarled and huge. He’d always liked staring up through the great canopies at night, glimpsing the nightwash of stars through the gaps of leaves. Of course, he’d liked it much better when he had had his familiar by his side, a large brown wolf with blackened paws named Avery.

At the reminder of his lost friend Eren’s heart ached. Avery had been by his side for years, patient and fierce in his protection.

And now he was dead.

Eren’s jaw clenched.

“It’s a nice house,” Erwin murmured, eyes taking in the wooden building, the warm brown of the wood that made up the small home gleaming faintly in the fading light. Small, oddly shaped windows were scattered throughout the walls, some ovals, others wobbly squares and leaning triangles. The only window to look normal was a large octagon on the second floor, it’s glass tinted with red and green shards that looked black in the darkness. As they approached the building, Erwin was pleasantly surprised to learn that it wasn’t the only color. Inset into each window was a scene of something or another, the detail something that someone far away would not be able to distinguish--or at least, as long as that someone was human. The demon couldn’t help but admire the artistry.

“Yes,” Eren answered softly, pushing open the door gently. “It is, isn’t it?”

Erwin’s nose flared at the motion, the stench of stale blood akin to a slap to the face. Ignorant to the demon’s mounting questions, Eren raised a hand, uttering a soft whisper that grew a small light that hovered over his palm. The light was so much dimmer than a lamp, and much easier to extinguish should they need to. He was not going to light the lamps only to get them caught.  
Keeping his head down, Eren moved forward, struggling to ignore the bloody pawprints staining his otherwise flawless floor, deep groves and burn marks occasionally crossing his path.

“Eren,” Erwin called softly, still paused at the door.

Reluctantly, Eren turned to look at him. “Hmm?”

“Do you mind if I look around? I don’t need a light.”

Of course he didn’t. Eren forced a smile. “Knock yourself out. I’ll be upstairs in my study.” He turned then, before the demon could answer and hurried forward. In his haste he almost tripped over his own feet; Eren didn’t care. All that mattered was that he get upstairs before the horror and bile at the back of his throat became too much.

He just made it to the bucket.

Bent over and retching painfully, Eren coughed, struggling to remain quiet lest Erwin come investigate. Closing his eyes, tears burned the back of his eyelids. He didn’t have the strength to deny the fact that it wasn’t simply due to the vomiting.

_Bloody pawprints, so bright under the watchful gaze of the sun. They bled and faded into one another, becoming a large trail of red with small gaps in between, as if a painter had went to stain his floor red and had forgotten to leave an even coat._

Eren’s chest tightened. _Calm down,_ he coached. _Just calm down, don’t think about--_

_A sharp howl, breaking off into a whining whimper. He turns to look but he can’t, there’s a wall of flames heading his way and he needs to block it; he can’t do both._

“Stop it,” he whispered, a sob hitching at the back of his throat. He grasped at his hair, hands shaking and mouth still wet with bile. A cold sweat began to break out over his brow, his body shaking with the force of his distress. _You can’t do this right now._

_“My apologies but you looked as if you were about to have a panic attack. Due to your previous urgency I assumed that you would rather avoid that until a more suitable time.”_

Eren wanted to laugh. _This was a more suitable time?_ He shook his head, forcing himself to harden, to steel against the pain, as slowly, several tears slipped down his cheeks. _No. Not now._ Not when he had to get the books. Not when he could find what he needed to make sure Avery’s killers never _ever_ hurt anyone else again. _Later. Grieving would come later._

With that in mind, Eren forced himself up, wiping his face off on a discarded rag before pushing away from the wall on shaky legs. _Later_ , he reminded himself, hands trembling as he darted to the lines of bookcases resting against the far wall of his study. _Later_ , he repeated, grabbing those signed and marked with his own magic, their bindings spelled shut to anyone but him. _Later_ , he breathed, beginning to trace a series of trigrams against the top of his desk. Once done, the surface glowed gold for a moment before becoming translucent, a hidden pocket revealing itself. _Later_ , Eren nodded firmly, shoving the still faintly glowing book into his bag with all the others.

Turning to walk back down the stairs, he nearly screamed when a hand pushed him back up. Or well, he would have if another didn’t cover his mouth, fast as lightning.

“Shh,” Erwin quieted him, backing away from the stairs slowly. Eren’s hands eased their grip on the demon’s arms, fingers relaxing from their claws as the agitated sparking of their tips stopped. _What the hell?_ He wanted to shout, heart still nearly bursting out of his chest.

“Three witches just appeared within your wards,” Erwin told him, voice barely a whisper. His lips touched Eren’s ear with every word and as one who had sensitive ears, the witch had to contain an entirely inappropriate shiver. “They’re approaching quickly and will be through the front door in minutes. Do you have an escape route?”

Taking a deep breath as the hand covering his mouth dropped away he shook his head. “Other than teleportation I don’t have anything that’ll be ready fast enough.” _He still hadn’t even fixed his wards for Hecate’s sake!_ Though, it wasn’t as if it mattered now that he had the journals.

The soft thrum of voices drifted up the stairs from below, the faint glow of a light becoming all too clear. The fact that they didn’t need to sneak around, that they had forced him to act like a robber in his own house, infuriated him.

“I can get us out of here without them being able to track our destination,” Erwin started urgently. “But you need to trust me.”

“Trust a demon?” Eren laughed, the sound nervous and airy. “I’ve done worse.”

_“Eren.”_

“Alright,” the witch breathed, his mounting panic beginning to melt all of his bravado. “What do I do?”

“You just think of where you want to go,” Erwin told him, moving closer. “It looks like you’re going to get carried after all.”

“Oh goodie,” Eren muttered, eyes wide as he was picked up, strong arms sweeping under his knees and around his back. Perhaps the worst part was, Erwin didn’t even seem to flinch at his weight, standing as if he were nothing but air.

“Think Eren,” Erwin reminded him; he nodded.

 _Shelter._ Eren thought awkwardly, biting his lip. _He didn’t even know if he was doing this right. Safety. A house blooming with flowers, the roof’s window always open to let birds in and out. Meadows of grass waving in the wind, horses nickering in the distance. An old porch swing…_

While Eren thought, Erwin seemed to grow. Ever so slowly, the shadows around them stretched, attaching themselves to Erwin as if they were old friends seeking a friendly embrace. The world around them stretched and wavered in return, all the light beginning to blot out of existence, leaving them in nothing but a darkness that should have made it impossible to see. Instead, Eren saw Erwin, his blue eyes glowing, pupils now diagonal slits like that of a cat. The tattoo on his face seemed to writhe with the shadows, something dark and large rising up behind the demon’s back, until Eren was sure it was some sort of monster, that it was going to attack Erwin where the other darkness had not--

“Eren,” Erwin murmured, as the world twisted and stretched, as if pulling out and away from them. “Close your eyes.”

 _Safety_ , he thought desperately, eyes slamming shut seconds before the darkness snapped back. And then they were falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*whispers* but can you imagine a punk version of captain america?)
> 
> Hooray for the sorta-Eruren moments~ Any guesses as to who's chasing them?


	5. We're The Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was comfort in shared grief, as strange as it sounded, and Eren definitely felt comforted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I just got back yesterday after a ten hour drive and I really wanted to get this out for you guys so if it's a little eh I'm sorry ;;

"You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” was the first thing Eren heard when he awoke. It was better than death threats, he supposed, and the voice was familiar, thankfully; though he couldn’t quite place just who it belonged to in his hazy state. It did, however, help to pull him into full wakefulness, causing a wince when he felt the ache in his head. Touching a hand to his temple, he dreaded opening his eyes, but did it all the same. At the sight of the world spinning around him Eren groaned, blinking against the nausea that rose with it. It took a few moments for it to stop, leaving the witch sweaty and slightly shaken.

“I…” Eren swallowed, wetting his lips. His voice wasn’t so hoarse when he next spoke, the sound clearer. “Where am I?”

“You’re at my house,” was the answer.

Eren snorted, sitting up slowly before finally glancing over at the owner. He blinked in surprise. “Armin?”

The blonde stared back at him, looking unimpressed. His hair looked disheveled, as if he had constantly ran his hands through it, and he looked tired, but it was his childhood friend all the same. “Eren, I’m only going to ask you this once, and if you lie to me I’m going to make a lightning cloud follow you around for the next week,” the witch threatened, eyes narrowing. “What are you doing with a demon?”

He paled. _That_ was definitely not something he wanted to tell Armin, however, it did raise some very important questions. Glancing around anxiously, as if waiting for the demon to appear out of thin air, he frowned. “Wait, where is Erwin?”

Armin sighed, touching a hand to his temple. “Your… friend is currently in my library. It seems the only place he’s willing to go besides this room.”

At the mention of books, he remembered. _The journals, the bag…_ Oh gods, his _bag_. “Where’s my bag?!” Eren gasped, head craning as he patted frantically at the sheets.

“Relax,” the blonde soothed. “everything's right here.” He patted the empty space between the bed and dresser, sending out a ripple of blue magic that briefly revealed Eren’s shoulder bag.

Eren calmed immediately, though he couldn’t help the twitch of his hands. He wanted to check the bag, to make sure everything was as it should be, that he had left nothing behind. Instead, he forced a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

“It seemed important,” Armin shrugged. “Though I am rather curious about what’s inside.”

“Of course you are,” Eren teased, hiding the flash of panic. The journals were not a secret, not to those closest to him, but Eren couldn’t let the blonde know just why there were enough spells drawn into their bindings to make even the most experienced warder proud. They were impenetrable without Eren, and he had made them that way for a reason, long before any of this mess. The knowledge in those journals were not to be toyed with, and even Armin, with his kind spirit and open heart, would have trouble resisting the pull of their words.

“My curiosity aside, you still haven’t answered the question. Why are you in the company of a demon?” His eyes narrowed. “Just what have you done?”

And there was the hard part. How to explain exactly why he’d summoned a demon, bargained and made a deal, all without telling his friend the exact reason why? “I had a break in a few days ago,” Eren started carefully, sticking to the truth as much as possible. “A dark magic has begun to seep through my wards and I needed some dark magic to combat it.”

“What?” Armin straightened immediately. “Eren, why didn’t you tell me?! I would have come right away! I’m sure we could have--”

“No!” Eren snapped. He realized too late just how harsh that word had sounded when the blonde flinched. “No,” he repeated, gently this time. “It’s too strong for even the both of us. I need Erwin.”

“You should of at least told me,” Armin insisted. “What if something had happened? What if you’d been hurt?”

“I only stayed long enough to get a glimpse of what it was and then I fled. But I…” Eren faltered, swallowing heavily. “Avery wasn’t…”

Thankfully, Armin didn’t make him say it, soft blue eyes going wide as he read the pain in his eyes. “Oh Eren…” He whispered, reaching out to pull his friend into a gentle embrace. His voice was genuinely sorrowful, his own grief mixing with the other witch’s. Eren had had Avery for years, and he had been a good friend of Armin’s as well. His loss was a painful one, echoed by the rain that had begun to fall against the roof of the house, thickening from a drizzle into a steady downpour.

“Armin,” Eren whispered, closing his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks. “You’re making it rain.”

“I can’t help it,” Armin sniffled, shaking against the other male. “It’s just--Avery was--”

“Yeah,” he smiled faintly, burying his face in the blonde’s shoulder. “I know.”

They fell silent then, the soft pitter patter of the rain the only sound interrupting Armin’s soft sobs and Eren’s gentle hums. The rain was comforting, and Eren listened to it as silent tears ran down his face. He had cried for Avery before, but not like this. He had been terrified and angry and betrayed then, running and trying to prevent himself from being the next one dead. There had been no time for calm acceptance, no time to remember the good over the bad. With Armin though, someone who felt Avery’s loss as acutely as his own, it was easier. There was comfort in shared grief, as strange as it sounded, and Eren definitely felt comforted.

“Do you remember the time you wanted to go play in the rain, but Avery wouldn’t let you?” Armin finally said, tears beginning to cease. He glanced out at the window, foggy and marked with rain. “He stood in front of the door and refused to let you get by.”

“I remember,” Eren smiled. “he said that I was being stupid and just because you were an elemental didn’t mean I was.”

Armin laughed, a fresh wave of tears slipping down his cheeks. “You were so mad, you tried to get me to teach you how to catch lightning, which only made Avery drag you back to your room where he said he could keep an eye on you.”

“He was a good friend,” the witch murmured. And it was friend, not just familiar, because Avery had become like family to Eren.

“I’m sorry,” Armin said again, pulling back to swipe at his eyes. “I wish I could have been there, then maybe we…”

Panic tore through Eren then, at the thought of what could have happened should Armin have been with him when his home was attacked. Would he too be dead? “I don’t.” He whispered, shaking his head. “If it hurt Avery, who knows what it would have done to you?”

“But still…” the blonde said, the rain beginning to taper off to reveal the faintest glimmer of the sun.

“Yeah,” Eren sighed. “I know.”

“Anyways,” Armin shook his head, forcing a smile onto his face as he pushed himself up on shaky legs. “Do you want some food? You’ve been out for a while, almost two days.”

“What?!” He jerked, eyes widening at the knowledge. “Why didn’t you say that sooner?!”

Armin shrugged sheepishly. “I sort of forgot. I was too focused on the demon situation.”

Eren groaned, falling back onto the bed. “Great.”

“Sorry,” the blonde chuckled, the sound still weighed down with grief. Eren wanted to tell him that he was the one that should be sorry. He hadn’t been strong enough after all. “Let me go get some food.”

“Alright,” he mumbled, watching his friend slip out of the door on quiet feet. He wasn’t surprised when moments later, a much larger figure slipped back inside, padding to his bedside with barely a sound.

“You’re awake.”

“After two days apparently,” Eren agreed, shifting his arm off of his eyes to glance up at the demon. “Is there a reason your spell knocked me out?”

“Demon transportation can be a shock to the senses the first couple of times,” Erwin admitted. “In the urgency of the situation I did not think it mattered, so long as we got to safety.”

Eren sighed. “Well, you guessed right.” He stared at the demon, eyes appraising his casual wear. “No trenchcoat?”

Erwin chuckled, glancing down at his t-shirt and jeans. “Trenchcoats aren’t usually required indoors. Though, I can put it back on if you like.”

 _Don’t you dare._ “No,” Eren cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from where they were ogling the blonde’s exposed--not to mention muscular--arms. “It’s fine. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

"Eren," Erwin started after a comfortable pause, sounding suddenly far too serious for the witch's tastes. "I think we should speak on what happened."

"What a coincidence," Eren laughed, pushing himself up out of bed. "because I think we should not."

"Eren," Erwin disapproved, his mouth a thin line as he watched the other male run a hand through his hair before giving a long and lazy stretch that arched his body tantalizingly.

"Look," he sighed, shoulders slumping once he was done. "I gave you the basics when we made our bargain, isn't that enough?"

"Not if you truly want me help," the blonde answered. "I cannot help you to the fullest if you do not trust me."

Eren, still emotionally raw from Avery's loss, practically laughed at that, torn between scorn and hysterical amusement. "You're a demon! How could I _ever_ trust you?"

"You are human," Erwin returned, solemn and ancient in his years. The memories in those winter eyes made Eren shiver. "How could I ever trust _you_?"

Eren's skin paled as he waved his hands. "That's not--"

"Not the same? On the contrary," Erwin murmured, reaching out to touch a hand to the witch's cheek. "it is exactly the same."

Eren gaped at him, lost in the sorrow that seemed to have suddenly marked his usually carefully constructed mask and stunned by the warmth of his touch.

"Think on it," Erwin advised, backing away as the sound of Armin's footsteps began to reach their ears. "I will be waiting for the truth. All of it."

And with that, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooohh is that some incoming Eruren I sense?


	6. Conflicted About The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t need to be told he had been backed into a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!

Reliving the past was never easy, particularly when it was still so raw. Thinking back on the events that had brought Eren to Armin, homeless, without a familiar and in a pact with a demon, was not a simple--nor painless--task. As soon as he looked back, every part of him screamed questions that would probably never be answered.

Betrayal was a bitter knife after all, and it was buried deep in his heart. Avery was dead, his home had been taken from him, he was on the run, and the only other person Eren could trust with his burden without endangering any more lives was a centuries old demon who could probably play him without even trying.

He didn’t need to be told he had been backed into a corner.

Betrayed, on the run and with death on his heels… It sounded like one of those fantasy novels that always managed to either kill off one of his favorite characters or end in some sad excuse of a happy ending that the author seemed to try and pull off at the last minute--complete with a perfect little love story and all, of course. Eren had always scoffed at them, unsatisfied and annoyed with the sham of it all. He severely doubted he’d end up with a happy ending anyways, crappy romance or not. No, he was fairly sure nothing but darkness awaited him at the end of his path. After all, he had made a deal with a demon, and everyone knew where those ended up. Maybe hell wouldn’t be so bad, though. Maybe Erwin actually liked him, if even a little. Maybe he’d have mercy on the stupid witch who just wanted to keep the human world safe from the demon’s own kind.

Eren nearly laughed. As if. When Erwin found out what was contained in the books of his bag, he’d probably tear him apart himself. Which was exactly why he couldn’t tell him the truth, not all of it. It didn’t matter what sort of deal they’d made, or even how they regarded one another. The spells in those books were dangerous dark magic that could only corrupt and kill. Letting them fall into the hands of anyone else--supernatural or not--was not a risk Eren wanted to take.

So then what could he do? Erwin would know he was lying, or at least holding back. He was a demon with hundreds of years of practice and Eren was sure someone as smart and manipulating as him would have mastered the art of human expression years ago. He had no true hope of eluding Erwin. The only thing that clouded logic like that was emotion and Eren had absolutely no leverage on the demon.

_"You are human," Erwin had told him. "How could I ever trust you?"_

He hadn’t understood then, stunned by the argument as he was, but now it was all too clear. Humans lie, he acknowledged, staring up at the gray sky. As demons do. They all had different capabilities, but in the end they were the same. There was a reason the worst monsters turned out to be human after all.

_"I will be waiting for the truth. All of it."_

The books… The secrets contained in there… if he said something, if he told Erwin what he was trying to hide… “You’ll kill me,” Eren told the air, voice soft like the gentle pitter patter of the rain against the roof tiles. _Or do worse._

So no, he couldn’t tell Erwin the truth--not all of it--and Erwin couldn’t trust him if he didn’t.

“What a mess,” Eren muttered, pushing his palms into his damp eyes. “What an absolute mess.”

* * *

“You’re leaving soon aren’t you?” Armin murmured, head bowed as he slowly diced carrots.

“I think it would be best.”

He expected a lot of replies to that, however, a noncommittal sound was not one of them. Watching quietly, and a bit apprehensively, the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board filling the silence that fell between them like a curtain. Eren probably looked foolish, hesitating near the table and just watching the blonde slice vegetables to go into the pot next to him. He didn’t know what else to do though. He knew what Armin wanted to know and he couldn’t tell him. Being at his house was risk enough, and Eren had strengthened the secondary wards he’d placed around the blonde’s house long ago. If anything happened, if Armin ever needed help, he would feel it like a burn on his skin.

He would not let any more harm come to his loved ones because of those cursed books.

“Armin--”

“I know that you’re hiding something,” Armin interrupted, setting his knife down with a soft click. A wave of his hand had all of the vegetables falling into the empty pot, the clunk of each piece like a weight against Eren’s chest. “I know when you’re lying to me too. Something’s going on and you don’t want me to know about it.”

“You’re right,” Eren admitted, when Armin turned to stare at him accusingly. “I don’t want you to know about it.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. “Why?”

“Avery died,” he murmured, head bowing to hide his wet eyes. “I couldn’t stop it. I was helpless to do anything more but watch. I don’t want that to happen to anyone else so please, just listen to me when I say that telling you nothing is for your own good.”

Armin’s lips thinned. “You know what attacked you.”

“Yes.”

“Is it chasing you?”

“Yes.”

“Is it going to come here?”

Eren hesitated, glancing up briefly. “I hope not.”

Armin nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair. A absentminded flick of his finger lifted the pot to set it above the stove, the flick of the flames loud in the silence. “Alright.” He sighed, closing his eyes as if it pained him to do so. “I’ll trust you on this. I don’t want to, but I will.”

Eren had never been more grateful. “Thank you.” He breathed, lurching forward to tug the other male into a tight embrace. Armin was taller than him, if a bit slimmer in build, meaning Eren’s head tucked neatly under his chin. “You don’t understand--thank you.”

“Usually when you stick to things like this you’re right,” Armin murmured into his hair. “I’ll strengthen my wards tonight.”

“I adjusted my own already,” Eren told him. “I’ll know right away if you’re in trouble.”

He sighed. “And I suppose you’re going to rush in if I am?”

“I’m not leaving you to fight alone,” Eren answered fiercely, pulling back to glower at him.

“No, I don’t expect you too.” Armin shook his head, a small smile playing along his lips. “You’re too stubborn for that. Just tell me something… If you can’t tell me… Can you tell anyone?”

Why did that sound so similar?

“You know, I’d ask if Erwin put you up to this but I know you’d tell me if he tried anything like that,” the brunette muttered, pushing his hair back from his face.

“What?” Armin frowned.

“He told me that he wanted the truth,” Eren told him. “That he couldn’t trust me unless I trusted him, basically.”

“That makes sense,” the blonde admitted.

Eren made a face. “You don’t think it’s a trap?”

“I never said that,” Armin shook his head. “his logic is sound, however I could debate for hours on whether his words are a trick or sincere and I still wouldn’t know.”

“So basically I’m screwed,” Eren muttered, letting out a humorless laugh. “Great.”

“I never said that either."

Green eyes narrowed at him. “You know I don’t like it when you’re all mysterious.”

Armin sighed, though his lips twitched in amusement. “We’re witches, Eren. Aren’t we supposed to be a little mysterious?”

“That’s a stereotype, which you usually hate,” Eren pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “Besides, Disney fucked up our image big time.”

“What's wrong?” The blonde teased. “Don’t you carry around apples and turn into dragons?”

“I wish,” Eren muttered. “Seriously though,” he glanced back up at the blonde, voice going serious if a bit pleading. “do you think I should tell him?”

“I think you should trust yourself,” Armin finally said, lips pursed. “If you feel you can trust him, if even a little, do it. Keep your guard up, but give it a try. Your instincts are usually right.”

“Not lately,” he shook his head, sinking into one of the carved wooden chairs lining the table. He sunk his head into his hands, shoulders slumped with defeat. “Ever since the attack it seems all I am is wrong.”

A hand touched his shoulder, squeezing gently as a soft brush of warmth ran over his body. The faint sparkle of magic was all too clear, even behind Eren’s eyelids. “Do you think you can trust him?”

Eren hesitated, biting his lip. Did he?

Erwin, in his ice encrusted glory, with his shadows and the silent way he walked, like a predator well above the rest, was he trustworthy? Could the demon who looked cold and manipulative one moment and was gentle and carrying him around the next, be relied on? Could Eren lean on him without fearing a knife to the back? Could he give it--them--a chance?

“Eren…” Armin started, when he had seemed to pause too long.

“Yes.” Eren interrupted, lifting his head. “Maybe not with everything, but yes.”

Armin smiled down at him, giving his shoulder one last squeeze before moving to stir the now bubbling pot. “Then go tell him. You’ve got some time until dinner.”

“I…” Eren shook his head, blinking away the gratitude that threatened to bring back the tears that seemed to sit so close to the surface nowadays. “Thank you, Armin.” He said, voice soft and not nearly enough. “Really.”

“Just go before I change my mind,” the blonde advised. “Otherwise I might decide not to give in so easily.”

And so, Eren went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank god for Armin, that's all that I can say
> 
> Next chapter will finally give you some of an idea about what exactly happened to Eren and will (hopefully) finally contain some Erwin/Eren bonding!


	7. If I Trust In You, You Must Trust In Me Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “‘Whoops’ he says,” Eren mocked before letting his hands fall to his sides with a groan. “how am I supposed to trust someone who can’t even tell me the truth about the book he’s reading?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally what you've all been waiting for... The talk has come~

“A whole library of spells and rituals at your disposal and you pick human fiction,” Eren remarked, eyeing the stack of fantasy books resting on the old worn side table next to the red victorian style chaise lounge Erwin rested on. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Humans come up with such interesting concepts,” Erwin said, not once glancing up from the book in his hands. “It’s quite remarkable.”

Eren raised an eyebrow. “It doesn’t bother you?” He asked, folding his legs underneath himself to sit on the floor near Erwin’s feet.

A questioning glance. “Why would it bother me?”

“You know,” Eren gestured towards the books. “how they portray beings like you.”

“I suppose sometimes it can be grating,” the blonde mused. “but even then it’s more exasperated amusement than anything else. Does it bother you?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted, tugging at a stray string on his jeans. “though it’s easier to just make fun of it, like you said.”

“Is Harry Potter among those that annoy you?” Erwin asked nonchalantly, turning a page.

Eren blinked. “I--no? I mean… What are you--” He turned, staring over at the demon suspiciously. The small curve of the blonde’s mouth seemed too deliberate. “...are you reading Harry Potter?”

“Perhaps.”

“Perhaps,” Eren repeated flatly.

Erwin dipped his head, the smile beginning to reach up into his eyes. “That’s what I said.”

“Right…” the witch drawled, looking away with one last suspicious glance. “Well I for one think that--GOTCHA!”

Erwin stared down at where he now laid, eyebrow raised and the book still safely in his hands. “What, exactly,” he started, “do you have?”

Eren groaned, turning onto his back with a puff of his cheeks. “That was cheating,” he complained, lifting a hand to prod at the wispy black tendrils of shadow beginning to slip away from his wrists.

“You lunged at me,” Erwin answered simply. “it was instinct.”

“Instinct my ass,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes up to stare at the ceiling. “I bet you had at least three different counterattacks planned.”

The noncommittal sound the blonde made was answer enough.

“I can also see your book by the way,” Eren told him matter-a-factly. “And it’s not Harry Potter, you ass.”

“Whoops.”

“‘Whoops’ he says,” Eren mocked before letting his hands fall to his sides with a groan. “how am I supposed to trust someone who can’t even tell me the truth about the book he’s reading?”

Silence filled up the space between them then, and the witch could feel his heart lifting up into his throat with every second that Erwin remained silent. _Stupid,_ he told himself. _That was so stupid--_

“Eren,” Erwin murmured, closing his book gently to place it on the table with the others. The soft sound was louder than thunder in Eren’s ears. “Eren,” he repeated, glancing down at the witch. “look at me?”

The words were a question, not a demand, and yet, as if compelled, Eren found himself glancing over at the demon, first out of the corner of his eye and then full on. Erwin smiled back.

“We both have no reason to trust one another,” he told him. “we’re strangers brought together by a deal beneficial for both of us. The truth of the matter is that neither of us would be here if not for that deal. Your hesitance is understandable, and I must admit that I do not like the idea of trusting you either. However, if we’re to make this work we must.”

To have it all laid out like that should only make Eren even more nervous about this. He should be changing his mind and running out the door. He shouldn’t be relaxing into the floor, nerves dying down if only a little, as he sits up, lessening the feel of Erwin quite literally looking down on him. “So what do you propose then?”

“A mutual agreement to share information. Neither of us will give more than the other. That way no one feels slighted and the information you get depends on how much trust you’re willing to invest.”

Eren raised an eyebrow. “How are we supposed to measure the weight of information?”

“You don’t really.” Erwin gave a small shrug. “If you feel slighted by one of my answers I will give another, the same with you.”

Still skeptical, but willing to try, Eren nodded. “Alright,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Who starts?”

“Since it was me that pushed for this, I will.” The demon offered, back straightening against the arm of the couch. “I am over a thousand years old.”

The witch raised an eyebrow. “I’m two hundred and thirty four.”

“I was resting at my home when you summoned me.”

Eren grimaced. So much for light topics. “I was being chased by three people who were once considered my friends.”

Erwin’s eyes fixed on him in interest. “If I am correct in my assumption of just who you were trying to summon, you were very lucky to have received me.”

He paused. “Wait, what?” Eren blinked, peering up at him in confusion. “That’s not some sort of demon bragging is it?”

Erwin flashed a small smile. “Not at all. I’m being perfectly honest when I say he probably would have ripped you apart.”

“Through my circle?” Eren asked skeptically.

“He would have broken it.”

He paled. A demon had to be powerful to break a summoning circle, even one as quickly made as Eren’s had been. But wait… Did that mean that Erwin could have--

“Now then,” the demon interrupted, gazing calmly into wide green eyes. “I believe it’s your turn.”

“...I don’t know why they’re after me,” Eren finally said, shaking his head as if to free himself from any other thoughts. “No, scratch that, I know _why_ , I just don’t know _why_.” He laughed shakily, scrubbing a hand over his face. “This isn’t making any sense is it?”

A hand fell on his shoulder, large and comforting in a strange way. Eren’s breath hitched. “Take your time,” Erwin murmured, squeezing gently. “just breathe.”

Eren nodded numbly back. “I…” he swallowed, shaking off the disappointment the removal of that hand brought. “I have these books. They contain spells and rituals that the three want. I just don’t know why, after all this time, they’ve suddenly turned on our friendship.”

“You still haven’t told me their names.” Erwin pointed out.

 _That’s because I’ve avoided even thinking them ever since it happened._ “Annie,” Eren whispered. “Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt. Those are their names.”

“And they killed your familiar.”

“What--” Eren’s head jerked up, eyes widening as he glanced at the blonde. “How do you--?”

“I saw the blood,” the demon answered. “and I heard some of your conversation with the blonde. It wasn’t hard to connect the pieces.”

“Oh.” He swallowed, looking down at his hands. “Yeah. They--they killed Avery.”

Erwin nodded, sitting back. He was silent for a few long moments, as if getting his own answer sorted, before finally he began. “I am far more powerful than you would probably care to know. I can control shadows as most demons can, though I can do far more than lower class ones can. This is why I could transport us here. I can also control water, and turn it into ice or snow.”

It wasn’t a true answer to his rank, but Eren could see that Erwin preferred being underestimated. In telling Eren about his powers he was weakening himself intentionally and those words, though there was still much in the dark, helped ease the witch’s mind. Erwin meant it when he said trust had to go both ways and he was willing to give his own if Eren did the same. “I don’t really have anything else to say,” Eren admitted, when the blonde looked to him expectantly. “I mean, not to do with the deal. The rest is just my life.”

“We can stop now, if you’d like.” Erwin offered. “You’ve told me more than enough and if you wish to rest now would be a good time.”

Staring down at his hands, Eren found that rest sounded good. His magic was still recovering after all, and sleep could only help matters. “Alright,” Eren agreed, stifling a yawn as he went to stand. “Night then.”

“Goodnight,” the demon agreed, watching him go. It wasn’t until he pulled the door open and was halfway out that Erwin spoke up once more. “Eren.”

Eren stilled, glancing back at him questioningly. “Yeah?”

He smiled, holding up the book he’d been reading. A shimmer of blue magic over the cover had green eyes widening. “It was Harry Potter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the Harry Potter part was necessary. 
> 
> I actually really like how this turned out and it may be one of my favorite chapters so far. Tell me what you think?


	8. Uneasy Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’ll come back, right?”

Parting with Armin was a bittersweet affair. Looking at his friend’s house, at the slightly crooked green roof, the scatter of star shaped windows near the library Armin had insisted be in the form of constellations and the ivy the witch made no effort to stop from climbing up his blue walls, Eren felt an intense surge of longing. He had lived almost his entire life returning to that house and the friend that inhabited the inside. At this point it was like a second home… one he now had to leave, without even a guarantee of ever returning.

“Eren,” Armin said softly, as if reading his thoughts. “you’ll come back, right?”

With his head turned away to stare up at the roof only Erwin saw his face contort into a pained grimace. “Do you remember when you accidentally hit the roof with lightning?” He mused, reaching a hand out to pat at the faint scorch mark climbing one of the porch pillars.

Blue eyes saddening at the avoidance, Armin’s lips pressed into a thin line. It made Eren want to tell him the truth--all of it. He didn’t like putting that look on his friend’s face but he knew it would only get worse if he did.

“Yes,” the blonde said finally. “I nearly started a hurricane in my panic.”

Eren chuckled. “Avery was so exasperated. He thought for sure our goal in life was to end our lives in the most ridiculous way possible.”

“That’s true,” Armin smiled, glancing up at the crooked roof, the tiles a mess of patchwork in one spot near the corner. “I think it built character though.”

“Yeah,” Eren agreed quietly. “Me too.”

Turning to look at him once more, another unhappy look crossed the blonde’s face. “Eren,” Armin began, stepping up to his friend. Slightly taller than the tanned male he had to tilt his chin down in order to meet Eren’s eyes. He smiled faintly in answer to the question residing there, winding his arms around the other male to pull him close. “stop looking so sad.” he finished, resting his chin on top of Eren’s head.

Eren’s breath hitched slightly at the contact. With a dawning horror he felt tears begin to wet his eyes, the water just barely held back with a series of blinks. “I’m going to miss you,” he admitted, arms curling up around Armin’s shoulders to clutch him close.

Armin squeezed him back. “I’ll be right here, silly.” He chided, tugging lightly on his friend’s hair. “You don’t have to ever worry about missing me so long as you make sure you come back.”

“Okay,” Eren whispered. His voice sounded small and childlike, unable to argue or voice the fact that there was a high chance he’d never be able to come back even if he did exact his revenge. After all, every one knew how most demon deals ended. Instead, he buried his face in the blonde’s shoulder, ignoring the fact that Erwin was probably watching on with that inscrutable look on his face and soaking up what would probably be the last human contact he’d get for a long time--if not forever.

When they parted it was with reluctance, Eren’s eyes shadowed with everything he couldn’t say and Armin’s with the knowledge that he could be saying goodbye for the last time. “Be safe.”

Eren’s mouth quirked up into a half smile. “When am I ever safe, Arm?”

“Never,” the blonde admitted with a huff. “but you could at least play along!”

“But where’s the fun in that?” He teased, poking his tongue out from between his lips.

Armin rolled his eyes, giving a half hearted swipe at Eren’s head; he dodged it with a laugh. “Get out of here,” he groused half heartedly, a small smile marking his own mouth.

“Yeah, yeah.” Eren waved away, darting down the steps to join Erwin on the short stone path leading up to the porch.

The demon turned to him at the sound of his approach. His eyes were unfocused for a moment as they lifted from whatever he’d been staring at and the witch had brief moment to wonder if he’d even heard anything that had just occurred before they sharpened. “Ready?”

Eren didn’t hesitate--couldn’t. “Yeah.” He nodded, giving a heavy sigh. “I’m ready.”

Erwin’s mouth curled up into a half smile. “Very well,” he replied easily. “lead the way.”

 _Never thought I’d hear that from a demon,_ Eren thought, turning back to the porch to give one last wave before they headed out. “See you later, lightning!”

“I thought we agreed never to use that name again, _fireball!”_ Armin shouted back, cheeks flushing in embarrassment; Eren’s twinkling laugh answered the jibe.

“Couldn’t resist!” He called, trotting ahead of the demon following at his heels. The blonde’s answering groan followed them into the forest, the sound enough to leave a small grin on Eren’s lips.

 _I’ll do my best to come back,_ Eren promised, allowing himself one last glance back before the house vanished behind the cover of the thick foliage. _I don’t want to lose another home after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter but I had to get these two on the road again in order to get to some actual plot ^^'


	9. Plan? What Plan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry that this has taken so long. I've been busy wrapping up high school and figuring out college stuff. I have, however, taken the time away to outline most of the plot so I'm not going in blind as I usually do and I'm quite satisfied with the results. So, with that said, hopefully updates will be pretty regular from here on out~
> 
> Enjoy :)

The walk through Armin’s forest was a silent one. With the way Erwin was so silent Eren had to resist the urge to look back one too many times, his nerves growing. The demon seemed to sense it, speeding up with barely a hitch in his stride to walk side by side with the other male. He didn’t say a word, and a part of Eren was grateful. The other part however, was wondering just how he was going to explain to the blonde that he really had no plan from here on out without Erwin laughing in his face--or the equivalent of whatever that was in the usually put-together demon. In fact, he spent most of the time it took to get out from under Armin’s wards trying to find the right words. It was to no avail.

 _You’re going to sound stupid no matter what you say,_ Eren told himself. He side eyed the demon next to him, biting his lip nervously. _Just do it._

With that in mind, the witch took a deep breath, letting the exhale escape in the flow of words. “You asked me to trust you.”

“I did,” Erwin acknowledged.

Eren nodded. He had to take another deep breath just to steady himself before he stopped in place. The near silent sound of Erwin’s footsteps paused immediately as soon as he realized that the witch had stopped, and Eren had to take another breath just to calm his racing heart.

“Eren?”

“Do you have a safe place to go?” He blurted, turning in a whirl that nearly ended up with his bag slamming into a nearby tree. Erwin’s hand steadied him before the force could cause him to topple over, his warmth seeping into Eren’s shoulder. He seemed surprised if the blink he gave Eren was any indication, and Eren couldn’t help but flush under his inquisitive gaze.

“Several,” the demon admitted, thankfully not pointing out Eren’s poor preparation skills. “though I cannot promise that they’ll be in good condition. It has been quite a while since I’ve been to the human realm for an extended visit.”

“As long as it’s safe, I couldn’t care less.” Eren told him, letting out a relieved breath. “Are there any close?”

“No,” Erwin shook his head. “But we can portal there. First, however, we must get further away from here. Traces of either of our magic cannot be found near your friend, not if our pursuers are willing to kill.”

Eren grimaced at the reminder, though he made no arguments. Getting Armin hurt was the last thing that he wanted to do, and it was one of the main reasons he had insisted on leaving without any real plan. Besides, Armin was smart. If they stuck around too long he would surely figure out just what Eren was running from. He’d want to help then and Eren couldn’t let him. Armin wasn’t a fighter, though he could take care of himself. If it came down to it, if he went face to face with the people who had been their friends… Who knew what would happen.

“Thank you for not saying anything to Armin,” Eren murmured, following after Erwin’s long strides as they resumed walking once more.

Erwin glanced back at him. “It wasn’t my place to tell.”

“But still,” the witch said, watching the ground for any tripping roots. “you could have done a lot to make things more miserable but you didn’t, so thank you.”

“Ah,” Erwin murmured, sounding almost amused. “I understand now.”

Eren blinked. “Understand what?”

“You are just as prejudiced as the humans are,” the demon told him, his voice low and smooth and lacking in anger despite the accusation. “you believe that all demons are inherently bad, monsters if you will, and that we will try to make any situation as bad as possible. How foolish.”

“Can you really blame me?” Eren bristled. “Most stories about demons are horrible and gruesome. Your race’s reputation isn’t exactly spotted with white.”

“Neither is yours.”

He faltered. “That’s… That’s not…”

“Not the truth?” Erwin’s eyebrow raised. “As you said, all supernatural creatures are painted in more black than white and you will find it hard to come across any stories in which the opposite occurs. Happy endings don’t sell. People would not be interested in a story without darkness or struggle. It’s just the way the world--and the human mind--works.”

“You’re really good at making people rethink their existence, aren’t you?”

He smiled. “And you are very good at listening.”

“Well that’s a first,” Eren muttered, unable to shove away the warm glow of pride at the compliment. Erwin made a soft sound, as if he were curious as to the story behind that comment, before they fell back into silence. The lack of a distraction made Eren embarrassingly aware of how loud he was next to the demon. Erwin’s steps were soft like a panther’s, boots barely even causing a crackle of dead leaves despite his weight. Eren on the other hand might as well have been carrying around a blowhorn with the way he was walking. It seemed like every leaf and branch found its way underfoot, emitting sharp cracking sounds when he wasn’t almost tripping over hidden roots. It made him wonder if it was some special demon power and if not, if Erwin would teach him. It would certainly help if he was ever being chased and needed to be quiet.

“I believe we’re far enough away now,” Erwin declared, before Eren could ask him to spill some of his dark demon secrets--literally. He wasn’t ignorant to the shadows that seemed to follow the other male. “If you’ll take my hand I’ll take us to one of my old estate’s.”

“No carrying this time?” Eren mumbled, taking the demon’s offered hand with a sigh. “How disappointing.”

Erwin smiled, eyes of ice melting under the humor within them. When he opened his mouth Eren was sure he was going to make the witch regret saying those words, but all that came out was a simple “Close your eyes.”

Following suit, the darkness wrapped around them once more--they fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the real relationship building begins... I'm so excited for it, you have no idea. It's going to be slow going but man that's what makes it all the better. Slow burn relationships are always the best, most frustrating relationships of all. (you're welcome ;)


	10. The House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watching how invested the demon was in his work had made Eren want to splash him with the warm blue on his paintbrush, something he resisted if only with the reasoning that he did not need to add a paint fight with a demon to the list of weird things he'd done in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooooo sorry about the wait! I've been so focused on getting ready for college and making sure my other fics were updated on time that this got shoved to the back burner. I'm hoping that with the next month I'll be able to focus on this story more but it will all depend on what life throws at me ^^'

Erwin's safe haven was... more run down than Eren was expecting. More Victorian than modern in style, what had once been an elegant blue and white house was now a faded rendition of what it had once been. The windows, covered in shutters that had been white at one point, were dirty and stained with years worth of filth. The paint, a once cheerful robins egg blue, was chipped and peeled away in most places--or at least, in what could be seen. A vast majority of the two story house was covered in thick tendrils of ivy, the leafy plants climbing up the sides of the building to curl itself around the roof and chimney. At the base of its structure, large flowering bushes that had probably once been well maintained decoration had grown wild and untamed, taller than Eren in some spots and three times as wide. A mix of roses and wildflowers joined the mix, along with several other breeds of plant life that Eren didn't know the names of but vaguely recognized.

Taking it all in, the witch could admit that it was a strangely beautiful picture. There was an elegance in the way the ivy draped over the porch; a beauty in the trees that leaned over the pathway leading up to it; a magic in the sunlight that filtered in through the leaves of the bushes and made patterns on the long grass. It was a picture that, had circumstances been different, Eren might have enjoyed attempting to draw, but it was quickly ruined by the demon by his side.

"We'll have to fix things up, of course." Erwin told him, gazing up at the house with what could have been melancholy. "I haven't visited the human world in a long time, so there's no telling what we'll find inside, but it's a safe place as you requested."

Eren wanted to tell him that it was perfect and far more than he had expected, but he had to be sure first. "Are there wards up?"

"They're faint, but still there." Erwin answered, eyes shifting up as if he could already see the magic. Maybe he could. "If you want to take a look at the inside of the house on your own, I'll circle the perimeter and make sure everything's as it should be. It shouldn't take me long."

"Alright," the witch nodded, tightening a hand on the strap of his bag. "You don't have any pets I should know about right?"

Erwin smiled, turning his back to the house. "I suppose you'll find out."

"How comforting," Eren muttered. The roll of his eyes was lost on the demon, however, and he made no move to call Erwin back. The presence of the demon was still something he was getting used to, so having a moment alone to breathe was a bit of a relief. It was tiring to feel like he was see through, as if he couldn't hide anything; even more so considering what he had to hide.

Sighing softly, Eren pushed the thought away. The best thing to do was to not think about it. If he wasn't thinking about it, Erwin would find nothing to detect. Simple as that.

"As if," he grumbled, hitching his bag further up on his shoulder. The grass was high as he waded through it, his feet flattening the plant life and leaving behind a noticeable trail. It was like stepping into snow or mud and leaving behind a footprint, only instead of something that could easily be ignored, he was being poked and prodded by grass almost half as tall as himself. It wasn't thorns though, Eren supposed he should be happy about that. The rose bushes did look rather mean after all, and despite their attempts to spread out from the sides of the house, they were still well away from the main path--not to mention his body.

Making his way to the rickety looking porch, Eren stepped hesitantly onto the first step. It creaked in protest under his weight, a reaction better than he had hoped for. There were holes and dark spots on the wood, ones that made him wary of breakage. Several more venturing steps, however, seemed to prove that the makers of the building had known their stuff after all, leaving Eren on a steady albeit rickety porch. A few more cautious steps had him in front of the once-white door. Wary of the magic still lingering, Eren prodded magic infused fingers at the cracked surface. A small warning spark of countering magic answered him, but no other supernatural force appeared to keep Eren out.

That left four possibilities.

Either Erwin had removed all precautions, the wards really were that weak, all hell would break loose when Eren opened the door, or, Erwin's magic now recognized Eren as no threat. The fourth idea was rejected from the witch's mind immediately. For your magic to recognize another person as something to protect or let in took an immeasurable amount of either trust or arrogance. Erwin definitely didn't trust him, nor did he seem arrogant, leaving the theory dull and void.

Considering the other options brought about the same result. The first was easy--they'd been at the house for less than twenty minutes, most of which Eren had spent in Erwin’s presence. He would have noticed if the demon had done anything magic such as take down any and all possible booby traps--which he hadn’t.

The second? Possible. Judging by the state of the house it had been quite some time since anyone had been inside to even do general maintenance, let alone keep up the wards. But still, Eren wasn't going to rule out the third option. You never knew with magic, let alone demon magic, and there was no telling just what would greet the witch when he opened the door.

That is, if it would even open in the first place. Eren frowned, staring down at the old fashioned handle. It was curved and elegant, a delicate knot in the palm of his hand. The color had probably been silver at one point, but it was now a scratchy brown/red that bubbled and flaked in some places. The rust appeared to have sunk down into the bolts, resisting the twist of his wrist. With no key and no oil, Eren had no choice but to use magic, the hand against the metal turning a brilliant green. Wisps of magic akin to fingers slid into the cracks of the door, melting through the rusted bits of metal and parting the door from the wall. When Eren withdrew his hand the door came with it, swinging with a creak of protest but moving all the same.

When nothing jumped out at the witch and no alarms went off, he stepped inside, cautious eyes taking in the darkened--not to mention dusty--house. It was as the outside made it seem, size wise. A comfortable, elegant, and yet not over the top piece of architecture that suited its demon master perfectly. Waving a hand, Eren forced the shutters lining the windows open. Some creaked and groaned in protest, while others fell off their hinges completely. This of course, was easily remedied with another wave and a few muttered words but Eren could not make what was old and rotting good as new. It was up to Erwin when he came back as to what they would do about that.

In the newly found light, Eren found his way through the decorated living room, past the rather homey kitchen and into what appeared to be a dining room. Past the dining room was a flight of stairs, the door next to it leading to a bathroom, the tiles of which were in some dire need of scrubbing--or even a replacement all together. Up the stairs led to a hallway of paintings mixed in with the odd photograph or two. The hall lead to two bedrooms, another bathroom, a library that held a pull down ladder leading up to what was an attic, and a study.

Erwin found him in the library.

"It's quite dusty isn't it?" He remarked, eyeing the trail their footprints left behind. "It even appears that a few animals have gotten in despite the house's best efforts."

"It's like a normal house," Eren agreed. "So why are only they untouched?"

Erwin hummed, taking a step forward to get a better look at the 'they' he was talking about. 'They' being the dozen or so shelves of books lining the walls. "I'm sure you can understand the importance of some written texts," he told him, running a hand along the crisp spines. "Furniture and architecture can be replaced. Some books can't."

"So why leave them behind in the first place?" Eren countered, crossing his arms. He watched as the demon moved among the shelves, as if greeting old friends, his hands not once marked with dust. It was as if there were a shield around the shelves, and everywhere but there was left to be exposed to the elements. Even the lip of the wood that the books rested on was clean, a beautiful mahogany that gleamed in the sunlight filtering in through the large glass windows.

"These aren't all spell books, Eren." Erwin shook his head, coming to a stop at the stained windows. His reflection was distorted and barely there, but Eren could see the gleam of blue eyes as if they were right in front of him. "In fact, most of it is human literature. Something doesn't need to have supernatural properties to be valuable."

"I understand." It was jarring to realize that demons could have attachments like humans. That they could value simple items like books or pictures or trinkets. It was yet another side to Erwin that Eren wasn't sure he was prepared to see and yet was viewing anyways.

"Now then," Erwin sighed, turning to face the witch with an almost apologetic smile. "here comes the bad news. I can fix all of the furniture and such, but I'm afraid we will have to clean before any of the happens."

Eren nodded, though he dreaded to think about just how much work that was going to be. "I figured as much. Even demons can't clean an entire house with just a snap of their fingers after all."

"No," Erwin acknowledged. "Though I do know someone with skills that could make you believe it's magic. But then again, he's had centuries to perfect it."

"Maybe we should call him up then," Eren muttered, beginning to shrug out of his jacket as he surveyed the dust coating most surfaces.

The demon chuckled, ruffling Eren's hair as he went past. "I'll start moving the furniture. You can start on the windows."

Unsure as to what was so funny but with the vague sense that he was being laughed at, Eren nodded, smoothing his hair back down with a frown. "No complaints here."

* * *

Hours later, Eren stood back from his work, exhausted, covered in questionable substances, but pleased all the same. It had taken every bit of daylight they had to clean the the most essential rooms--those being the bathroom, the bedrooms, the kitchen and the dining room. The rest had yet to be done, but Eren figured that all things considering, they'd done pretty good regardless.

By the time he had done the windows, Erwin had removed all the furniture, leaving a clean slate behind to be dusted, mopped and polished back to its original glory. They'd split the dusting, but in the end Erwin had ended up doing more of it when the large clouds had proven too much for Eren. A fit of sneezing had led to choking and burning eyes, after which Erwin had ushered him back to the rooms already done to mop. To make up for it Eren had insisted on doing all of the mopping, a fact that had seemed to amuse Erwin but to which he did not disagree with. After that had come the more... Fun part, if anything about the process could have been considered fun.

Painting the walls came first--well no, fixing the walls had come first, but Eren had had no part in it, nor in the fixing of the outside, and so he had no clue as to what Erwin had done to make everything good as new--something that was a bit of a temptation at first. Erwin had agreed to do the ceiling, while the witch did the walls. Watching how invested the demon was in his work had made Eren want to splash him with the warm blue on his paintbrush, something he resisted if only with the reasoning that he did not need to add a paint fight with a demon to the list of weird things he'd done in his life. He still wasn't, however, convinced that the glob of pale brown on his shoulder and neck hadn't been on purpose.

After the painting had come the lights. A touch of Erwin's fingers had the original light fixtures good as new, the gleam of wood against silver and gold warm among the rather soft color scheme. The only thing they'd had to do was screw the light bulbs in and then they were free from the darkness beginning to slip its way past the setting sun.

The final step had been furniture, something Eren had enjoyed. The design of the Victorian age furniture was beautiful and surprisingly comfortable, and Eren couldn't help but stare at the picture it made once everything was put together. The warm glow of the lights lining the wall and dangling from the ceiling lit up the floor and made it gleam. The soft gold colors of the wall and the white trimmings here and there were cozy when paired with the long couches with their sloping backs and the chairs with their carved arms. It was as if no one had ever left, and when Eren looked up to the sound of footsteps he half expected to see a woman decked in a large dress with her hair pinned back.

"Do you like it?" Erwin murmured, stopping at his side. He wasn't as clean as Eren had expected, his arms stained with dust and small flecks of paint dotting his clothing and skin.

"It's beautiful," Eren wasn't afraid to admit. "Does it look a lot like it was before?"

The nod of a head was his answer. "There are some differences, but yes. Very much so."

Eren smiled, turning to look at him. The words he had been ready to speak died in his throat as he stared at the demon, eyes fixing to the smear of white on Erwin’s jaw.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Eren shook his head. "It's just.. You um, you have paint on your face."

"Do I?" The demon murmured, eyes still on his.

Eren nodded shakily. "It's on your tattoo."

"I'll be sure to wipe if off later then," Erwin said, a blink of his eyes breaking whatever spell had been between them. The turn of his back had Eren feeling suddenly barefit, the tremble of his hands a mix of disappointment and relief. "Do you want anything in particular to eat?"

"No," Eren shook his head, staring down at his hands with a frown. "Whatever you decide is fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to those who can guess just who Erwin was talking about! They might even appear in the next chapter if all goes as planned... 
> 
> Also! Thanks to everyone that's still reading despite my gaps in updates. I appreciate all of your support <3


	11. Friend or Foe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who,” he started. “was that?”
> 
> Erwin smiled, wide enough that it almost looked genuine. “That was the demon you almost summoned."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy god, I missed this story and I'm honestly so sorry it's been so long! College was way busier than I thought it'd be and I had literally no time to write. I'm hoping I'll get some time next semester but the odds aren't looking good, unfortunately. Hopefully, you'll still stick with me?

Eren woke up to the sensation of falling. He knew the feeling, as all humans did--that jerk when you had laid down, coming seemingly out of nowhere, as if your body had suddenly come back online after a long rest. It normally came when you were awake, however, and waking up to it was ten times as horrifying. Heart racing, Eren let out a cry of terror, sure for a moment that he was still falling.

It took moments for Erwin to burst into his room in answer, flames dancing over his fingers and tattoo writhing on his face. Eren, still gasping for air, was too busy clutching at the sheets to truly appreciate the sight, and by the time he had come to grips with the fact that yes, there was a bed under him, Erwin was back to his impeccable self.

“Eren,” the demon started gently, approaching the bed as if the other male were a wild animal. “you’re alright.”

Eren stared up at him. His heart was a helicopter in his chest, but somehow those words reached his panicked mind. It was the way Erwin said ‘you’re alright’ as opposed to ‘it’s alright’ that really got his attention. Nothing about their situation was alright, not by a long shot, and perhaps considering Eren’s condition, the ‘you’re’ wasn’t quite truthful either, however, it soothed a part of Eren’s brain previously unreached, and the witch found himself relaxing if only a little. “I--” Eren paused, running a hand through his hair as he cleared his throat. When he spoke again the hoarseness was gone. “I know. I’m sorry for startling you.”

Erwin shook his head. “Nightmares are understandable after what you’ve been through. I should have anticipated this.”

“I’m pretty sure that no matter how hard you try, you’re never going to be able to predict my subconscious’ next move.” Eren pointed out dryly. He pushed himself up out of the bed on shaky arms, nearly falling back over when his vision swam. It was then that he became aware of the distant pounding in his head, the pain an irritant that only served to make his morning worse. “Wonderful,” Eren muttered, touching a hand to his temple. His fingers glowed with green magic, easing the pain.

Erwin watched him for a moment, before with a small barely noticeable shake of his head he turned. “If you have no more need of me, I’ll go back to cleaning. The kitchen has been stocked so you can have breakfast if you wish.”

Eren blinked after him, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Thanks. I’ll help once I’m done.”

“There’s no need,” the demon assured with a smile. “I’m nearly finished as it is. Just enjoy your rest. Once you’re done we need to put together a plan of action in order to get the revenge you so wish.”

He nearly grimaced. “Right. I’ll see you then, then.”

Erwin dipped his head. “You shall,” he agreed, slipping out the door. “Oh and Eren?”

Eren flinched, heart jump starting in a tamer version of what he’d woken to. He turned back to the door, hands still at the hem of his shirt, ready to pull it off. “Y-yeah?”

The demon’s smile was almost amused. “Goodmorning.”

* * *

It took a couple seconds for Eren to respond and even then Erwin was already gone. “Goodmorning!”

Eren’s breakfast was two buttery eggs, a slice of toast and some orange juice. After scraping by on fast food and snacks, it was heaven. Erwin, who had drifted into the kitchen halfway through the witch’s meal, had declined any offer of food, instead choosing to sit with a cup of coffee and stare out the window. It was a nice view Eren decided, following his gaze. The kitchen was at the back of the house, facing a field of tall wildflowers surrounding a forgotten fountain. Tall trees edged in around the scene, their branches twisting in the sunlight. Most were disfigured in someway, and Eren had to wonder if it was because of the demon’s magic surrounding the place.

The thought made Eren’s mouth move slower as he chewed his breakfast, lips pursed in consideration. He _had_ seen his own magic do strange things to plants, there was nothing saying that adverse effects couldn’t be among them, especially when involving a demon. Eren was almost tempted to ask Erwin himself when the demon spoke.

“Eren, if you want me to go you need only ask.”

“What?”

Erwin turned his head, eyes of ice meeting his own. “You’ve been staring at me for nearly five minutes now.”

“Oh,” Eren blinked fast, cheeks heating under that gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t,” Erwin shook his head, as if being stared at was a perfectly normal occurrence in his life. Knowing how he looked, it probably was. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No.” The witch shook his head, almost startled to find it was the truth. “That wasn’t why I was staring. I was just wondering if your magic has adverse effects on plant life?”

“Sometimes,” Erwin murmured, turning back to the window. “it varies, though it always tends to show up in larger targets. Trees for example,” he nodded towards the ones outside. “they seem to show it much more. If nothing else, you can usually tell if a place houses a demon by the state of the trees.”

“Strange,” Eren mused. “Is hell like that?”

“Actually,” Erwin said nonchalantly, taking a sip from his mug. “there are no trees in hell.”

Eren stared. “What.”

“There are no trees,” Erwin repeated. “or plants really. Not living anyways.”

“That’s so depressing!” He exclaimed, once his brain managed to wrap his head around that fact. “Actually, now that I think about it, do demons get depressed? Are they immune? Can demons even commit suicide?”

Erwin chuckled. “What morbid thoughts, you have,” he mused, tracing the rim of his mug. “To answer your questions, yes, demons can get depressed. No they are not immune, as we are much more akin to humans than you would probably believe. And finally, yes, we can commit suicide if the one doing so is adamant enough.”

“I guess you _are_ more like humans than I’d thought,” Eren admitted, biting his lip as he set his fork down onto his plate. “do you have sexism and homophobia too?”  

“Demons are a relatively accepting race. When you live in hell most things go. The immortality helps as well, I suppose.” Erwin told him. “There’s no true worry about reproduction. We also have no religion trying to tell us that what we do and feel is wrong. You’d be amazed at how cutting out one thing can change everything else. As for sexism, those who identify as females are no weaker than those who identify as males.”

“So gender norms don’t exist for you,” Eren sighed, chin falling into the cup of his hand. “great. Maybe I should give up on revenge and just go live in hell. Sounds a lot better than most places around here.”

Erwin’s mouth curved into a half smile around the rim of his cup. “Minus the lack of plant life.”

“Mm,” Eren agreed. “Wait.” He sat up, eyes widening. “How do you _breathe_? Don’t you need oxygen?”

“It depends on the demon. I can hold my breath for quite some time, however, for the most part yes.” Erwin shrugged. “I have a friend who could explain things far better than I. As far as I know the atmosphere sustains itself.”

“Strange,” Eren repeated.

“I suppose,” the demon acquiesced with the nonchalance of someone who has since ceased to be surprised. “in the essence of strange, we need to discuss our deal. Have you had any ideas regarding how you’re going to get your revenge?”

Eren sighed, his bright mode dulling under the line of questioning. Now he was back to lies and half truths. “The trio”--a part of him ached at that, the term once affectionate and used by all of his friends--“want the journals. If we set up a trap they’re sure to come, despite the danger. They seemed pretty desperate as is. Give them a clear shot and they’ll run for it.”

“Are you sure the journals are the only thing they’re after?” Erwin asked.

Eren frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The books are important. You’ve warded them, yes?”

“Yeah…”

“Breaking them would be difficult, maybe even impossible. A wrong step and they could lose what they’ve been struggling to find.” Erwin tapped a finger against the table. “The books aren’t all they want, Eren. They’ll come for you as well.”

“Then why didn’t they grab me when they had the chance?” Eren shook his head. “They should have had spells in place the day they attacked me. It shouldn’t have been so easy to escape.”

“Your familiar died,” Erwin reminded. “I’d say that wasn’t very easy.”

Eren sighed. “I guess you’re right. Something just… seems off.” He rubbed at his head, where the ache of a headache was returning. “I don’t know. I’m probably just being stupid.”

“They were your friends once,” the demon said. “you know them. If something is telling you that something is off, you should follow that instinct. But, until you figure out what that something is, we will be safe here. We won’t set the trap until you’re ready.”

He nodded, picking his plate up. “Yeah. That’s probably best.”

* * *

Erwin disappeared into his room after breakfast, and Eren, still troubled and head hurting, couldn’t find it in himself to worry. He roamed the house like a restless spirit, rubbing at his temples every now and then in an effort to ease the incessant ache. He probably looked ridiculous in his ratty clothes and bed hair, but in the pain he was in Eren couldn’t care. Even his magic wasn’t helping, which was an unfortunate yet understandable circumstance. Sometimes magic just didn’t work, especially on the user’s body. Your body had a tendency to build up a tolerance for your own magic, so sometimes using it on yourself brought about little change.

His sigh more of a groan, Eren wandered into the library. A glance of the sun against the hardwood floor that hit Eren right in his eyes had him turning right back around with a muttered “nope.” Bereft of any other option, Eren found himself back in his room, a pillow over his head and the curtains drawn as tight as they could go. His head ached insistently all the while, pounding in his temples with every beat of his heart.

Eren didn’t know how long it took for him to fall asleep, but he awoke often, and shifted restlessly. Sweat covered his body as the hours passed, soaking through his clothes as he fought the pain, tossing and turning with soft sounds of discomfort.  It wasn’t until far into the afternoon that Eren awoke, sweaty and flushed, but free of headache.

Grimacing down at his clothes, Eren threw the blankets off of his body. He was relieved when a flick of the lightswitch didn’t hurt, eyes squinting as they sought to adjust to the sudden light. It felt good to be out of darkness, and even better, to be out of pain. That didn’t help him feel any less disgusting though.

Shedding his clothing, Eren made his way into the bathroom joined to his bedroom, turning on the shower and stepping in. The plumbing thankfully worked. Eren didn’t know how Erwin did it, but he had, and god was the witch grateful. The hot water was heavenly against his sweaty skin, soothing the aches he’d gotten tossing and turning. When he stepped out he felt better than ever, the headache far behind him and given little more thought. Eren used to get headaches all the time from stress, or the over expendage of magic. He’d just have to be more careful from now on, he told himself.

Which was all well and good until it happened again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

When he woke up, when he was reading a book, as he was making dinner… They came and went, some crippling him and others a dull annoyance. It worried Eren, but he couldn’t do much. With his magic seemingly useless to combat them and no medicine around to try and use, all he could do was endure and will them away. Erwin didn’t seem very worried either, something which shouldn’t have eased Eren’s mind, but did anyways. But then again, Erwin was a demon, and as human as he sometimes seemed he was not, and therefore, Eren really shouldn’t have been basing his health concerns on his partner’s emotional state.

Whoops.

* * *

Eren woke up slowly. One minute he was drifting in a fog of unconsciousness, and the next he was blinking blearily at the room around him. He made a soft sound of confusion, sitting up when his body told him going back to sleep wasn’t a good option. There was no pain in his head, and he’d had no nightmares so it made no sense as to why he was up. Normally Eren was a heavy sleeper, and could sleep through even an alarm, but lately he’d been so jumpy between nightmares and headaches that he’d woken easily by basically anything. And yet he didn’t hear any noises.

Frowning softly, Eren got out of bed. He winced slightly at the cold floor against his feet, though he made no other sound as he padded to the door. It opened without even a creak, hinges like new after whatever magic Erwin had cast over the house. A walk down the hallway had Eren’s silence proven a good idea when he heard the low rumble of voices. Erwin was a demon so the witch had no illusion that he probably didn’t know what Eren was up, but even still he tried to be sneaky, slipping towards the stairs.

The voices seemed to be coming from the living room, Eren found, which he could just barely see at the top of the stairs. He didn’t dare go down them, for fear of making a noise. He was quiet but not _that_ quiet. Still and as silent as possible, Eren listened intently to the secret conversation. Erwin’s voice was low, and he could barely hear anything, but luckily his companion did not seem to care for secrecy.

“I told you your kindness would bite you in the ass one day, and now you’re hiding like a fucking dog,” there was a pause, and the slip of Erwin’s timbre. “Bullshit. I know you. You could drag him to hell right now if you really wanted to.”

Eren sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide. Right away he knew they were talking about him, but that wasn’t possible. He’d made a pact with Erwin. They had a deal. Erwin couldn’t really be so strong as to break that contract, could he?

“Everyone wants you to come back. They kept bothering me, telling me I had to go ‘fetch’ you like you were a fucking dog. If you’re not going to come back you could at least have the courtesy to send a message. I don’t want to be dragged to the human realm every time you get yourself involved with some mouth breather.”

Mouth breather? Eren made a face. Was that some kind of special demon insult? It didn’t make any sense, unless--

He froze. A careful analog of his body told him one of two things.

  1. He was breathing from his mouth.
  2. He was going to fucking die.



Eren stood with wide eyes as the clack clack of heels against wood sounded sharply through the house. The shadow of a man that he’d seen stepped out of the living room and into the entry to the stairs. Cold metal eyes glared up at Eren from behind a sharply structured face, the connection only broken ever so slightly by the horns curlicuing out from the crown of the demon’s head. Eren swallowed. “I--”

“Save it,” he snapped, turning in a swirl of robes. “Get your ass down here. You’re a piss poor spy.”

“Levi,” Erwin could be heard sighing, as Eren’s body followed the demon down the stairs and into the living room mechanically. “You don’t have to be so rude. And you didn’t have to compel him either.” 

At the word compel, Eren’s body seemed to realize what it was doing. He stumbled, as if he was a puppet suddenly without strings, head aching sharply for a long moment. He forced himself to recover quickly, backing towards the wall as he glared up at the demon--Levi, apparently. “No, you didn’t,” he agreed, voice brittle. “Don’t do it again.”

“Or what?” Levi asked, lifting a bored gaze from nails as black as the cloak swirling around him. “I could tear you into two before you could even utter a spell, don’t fool yourself. I’m not like Erwin, who’s on a leash--even if it is made of string.”

Eren didn’t like the sound of that. “What--”

“Levi,” Erwin cut in, placing a hand on Eren’s shoulder. “Leave him alone. You’re not going to hurt him. He’s under my protection.”

“Fat lot of good, that’s doing him,” Levi snorted, though he didn't seem like he was planning on running Eren through anymore. “He’s got a demon rooting around in his mind. His shields are like paper.”

It took two seconds for Eren to become enraged. The nerve of this bastard! “Yeah,” he snapped. “it’s called you! And my shields are not like paper! I’ve been told they’re very good.”

“For humans maybe,” Levi dismissed, fixing those cold eyes back on him. “kid, we’re demons. We can cut open your mind and have you crying like a baby in seconds. You don’t believe me? Fine. It’s your mind. You won’t catch me crying when you’re screaming about your head feeling like it’s splitting open.”

“That’s enough,” Erwin cut in, tattoo seeming to grow as shadows marred his face. “I’d like to know what you meant when you said there’s a demon rooting around in his mind.”

Levi shrugged lightly. “The trace is faint, but it’s there. His whole mind reeks of it too. Someone’s been looking through his memories like they’re magazines. I’m surprised the symptoms haven’t started yet.”

He had no idea. And apparently, neither had Eren. “Splitting open?” He repeated. Two pairs of eyes turned to him. “As in a headache?”

The demon frowned, head tilting. “At the beginning, yeah. Why? You been getting headaches?”

Eren felt numb. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Almost every other day or so. Dreams too.”

“Eren,” Erwin said, hand cool against the witch’s skin as he touched a hand to his shoulder once more. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought it was just from sleep deprivation and magic loss,” Eren said, making a helpless gesture with his hands. “I didn’t think it was a demon rooting around in my mind. How is that even possible anyways? Don’t you need to be close?”

“It depends on your skill,” Levi admitted, most hostility gone in the face of the mystery. “They might have marked your mind somehow. Have you come into contact with any demons lately?”

“No one other than you two,” he said.

This seemed to unsettle them both. The demons shared a silent look, one that Eren was sure was full of words they either didn’t want Eren to know, or were too impatient to tell to speak out loud. “I can’t break it,” Levi finally admitted. The words were grudging, like he didn’t want to admit it. “Chances are nobody but the source can. You can ward them off though.”

Eren clung to that information like a lifeline. “How?” He demanded.

Levi’s eyes flashed at the tone, though he did no more than curl his lip. “Build your shields up. Make them brick walls instead of the bullshit ones you have now. And do it fast, before whoever they are gets tired of you.”

Eren knew what that meant. He didn’t even have to look at the thin line of Erwin’s lips to know it. If he didn’t build walls thick enough to keep out a demon like Erwin, his mind would be ripped apart, and Eren had a feeling he knew what for. He took a shuddering breath, arms wrapping around himself. “Thank you,” he said quietly, finding it ironic that Levi was helping him keep his race in hell. Not that the demon knew it.

Levi’s eyes rolled. “Don’t bother thanking me. I didn’t exactly do it for your benefit. I just noticed it, that’s all.” He pushed away from the wall, giving a soft sigh. “I’m heading back, Erwin. Try not to get too attached.”

Erwin gave a thin smile, nodding in Levi’s direction. “Safe travels. Tell anyone who asks I’m currently indisposed.”

“Tell them yourself,” Levi grumbled, walking to the door. Distantly, Eren realized that Levi was wearing heels. Sharp, tall ones that had to be at least six inches, if not more. The demon glanced back at him, as if feeling his gaze. His eyes narrowed. “Try not to die, mouth breather. I’d hate to not know who’s poking around in your mind.”

With that, he was gone, leaving Eren staring at the door. He felt blank, and surprisingly calm for someone who had just learned they had the equivalent of a bomb in their head, with a timer that was unknown. “Who,” he started. “was that?”

Erwin smiled, wide enough that it almost looked genuine. “That was the demon you almost summoned.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi is so sassy, I love him <3
> 
> Also, yay~ We're getting to the main plot now, slowly but surely~
> 
> Drop a comment?

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on tumblr @ my101fragiledreams :3 (seriously if you guys have any prompts/ideas/headcannons about what you'd like to see or are curious about, I'd love to hear/write them!) I'll be tracking 'fic: hell is easily confused'


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